


Secret Santas Are Ridiculous…Or Maybe Not

by rmh8402



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Getting Together, M/M, POV Draco Malfoy, Secret Santa, Secret Santa gifts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:33:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rmh8402/pseuds/rmh8402
Summary: Draco has been receiving gifts and letters from his Secret Santa all week with no idea who could be behind it all.





	Secret Santas Are Ridiculous…Or Maybe Not

**Author's Note:**

  * For [http://meles-meles-serpentes.tumblr.com](/gifts?recipient=http%3A%2F%2Fmeles-meles-serpentes.tumblr.com).



> This is for Laura for the Drarry Squad Secret Santa Gift Exchange! I went a little off prompt but I hope you like it!!

Draco stared at the small package that was sitting on his pillows in confusion. He had already performed the spells to assure himself that it was safe to open, but he still hesitated because he couldn’t understand why it was there or where it came from. Eventually though curiosity won out and he untied the ribbon holding it closed. Inside were two ties and a note. A quick glance showed Draco that the ties were of good quality and very nice. He wondered about the color choices-one was a silvery gray and the other was green. Not just any green though; it somehow seemed to be a combination of the Slytherin green and the green that could only be described as Potter’s eyes. Shaking his head to stop any and all thoughts from heading _that_ direction, Draco turned his attention to the note.

_Draco:_

_I hope you like the ties and that they are up to your very high standards. I saw them and immediately thought of you…especially the gray one. It changes color depending on the light that hits it, just like your eyes._

_Your, Secret Santa_

Draco just stared at the note in his hands wondering what in the world was going on. The Secret Santa reveal wasn’t until the end of the week, so why was he getting this now? Besides, this sounded a lot more personal than one would expect of a Secret Santa gift…

Draco resolved to put it out of his mind and just assume that he was overreacting to the note and that maybe there was a reason he was getting the gift early. Maybe his gifter wouldn’t be able to make it to the party and wanted to make sure Draco got the gift, or maybe they didn’t want everyone knowing that they had gotten something for Draco. Either way, Draco just wasn’t going to worry about it.

~~

The next day Draco was even more disconcerted to find a second gift on his bed when he returned to his room after classes. This one was larger than the last, and when Draco opened it his jaw dropped in shock. Inside was a full set of silver knives and glass stirrers for his potions kit. He simply stared at them for several minutes before reading the note that had once again been included.

_Draco,_

_I hope these are to your liking; I know you already have some of these but if you are going to be a true Potions Master you will need all of the best tools. You’re brilliant at Potions, always have been, and I love watching you work. The concentration and patience you show, and the happiness that shines through when you brew it correctly. Maybe that’s why I’ve struggled with it so badly, I’ve been too busy watching you. I keep hoping that one day you will watch me as well._

_Your, Secret Santa_

Draco sat on his bed and read the note again, and again, and again. There was no way he could be imagining it this time; this was definitely personal. It made him uneasy but excited at the same time. Excited because it was flattering to know someone paid attention and someone cared. Uneasy because how could he not notice someone who seemed to know him like this? It also didn’t help that the only person he wanted to say these things never would, so he wasn’t sure how to react. Could he learn to care for this mysterious stranger in time? Should he try? Or should he simply say “thanks but no thanks” and let them move on immediately? Draco didn’t know what to do, and he didn’t like not knowing.

~~

The rest of the week passed in the same way: every evening Draco would find a gift and a note on his bed when he would return to his room to drop off his books before dinner. The gifts were all well thought out and wonderful, but the letters were what really caught his attention. Each one was more personal than the last; filled with all of the things that they liked most about Draco and the way he made the writer feel. They filled Draco with a hope and a longing that scared him and he found himself re-reading them late at night as everyone else slept. He was distracted during classes now, thinking of the letters and trying to figure out who could possibly have written them. He watched his classmates but none of them seemed to be acting any differently that he could tell so that really didn’t get him anywhere. Well, Potter was acting a little weirder and jumpier than normal, but seeing as it was Potter that wasn’t saying much.

Even though Draco knew Potter wasn’t the one sending him things, he sometimes couldn’t stop himself from wishing it was and wondering what it would be like. He had known for years that his feelings for Potter were more than hatred and animosity, but it wasn’t until this year that he had fully accepted it. Of course, it wasn’t until this year that he and Potter had struck up a friendship either; and oh Merlin did that make everything worse. Having him as a friend was both wonderful and agonizing, but Draco wouldn’t change it. Something was better than nothing after all.

~~

Saturday morning arrived, bringing with it butterflies and apprehension. The Secret Santa reveal was tonight, and Draco couldn’t decide if he was excited about it or terrified. Although the more he thought about it, both were good. He had thought the whole Secret Santa thing was overrated and ridiculous at the start, and since this had started Draco found himself not changing his thoughts about it. So far all it had brought him was frustration and disappointment mixed in with a tiny bit of hope.

He sat at breakfast once again watching his classmates, hoping for any inclination of who it could be when a rather nondescript barn owl swooped down and dropped a letter into his lap. As he opened and read it his hands began to shake and he started looking around the Great Hall in earnest; surely _somebody_ had to be looking to see if he had received the letter? But no, the only person paying him any attention was Potter and _that_ didn’t help Draco at all. He tried to avoid Potter’s eyes as he attempted to casually leave the table so he could head back to the relative privacy of his dorm…where he could hopefully have his breakdown in peace and quiet. Because this letter was the most frightening one of all; this letter gave him the chance to learn who his mysterious gift-giver was. It also gave him the chance to put a stop to it and never know who was behind it at all. And Draco wasn’t sure which one he wanted more.

~~~

Draco tried to steady his nerves as he stood at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the Astronomy Tower. He hadn’t been back since that night with Dumbledore; he couldn’t bring himself to go back. Part of him didn’t really want to be here now if he was truly honest with himself. He had spent all day going back and forth between going and staying, and even now he still wasn’t sure if he could bring himself to walk up the stairs. Between the memories of that night and the uncertainty of what (and who) would be waiting for him, Draco was overwhelmed.

Finally, Draco was able to get his feet to cooperate with his head, but it was still a long, slow climb to the top of the tower. Once he got there, Draco stood at the door for a few minutes-gathering his courage and calming his nerves. His hand shook as he took the few steps that it would take to bring himself into view of whoever was there to meet him except…there was nobody there.

Draco stood frozen for a moment, in both confusion and hurt, as he tried to come up with any explanation at all for what was happening besides the obvious. Before he could enter complete breakdown mode, however, he noticed something that he had missed the first time he scanned the balcony. There in the corner was a small table that was empty except for a long, thin box that was labeled with Draco’s name. He looked around one last time for a sign of anyone before heading over to see what his newest gift was. As he walked he wondered why there was nobody here. Had they changed their minds about letting him know who they were? If so, why? He would think this had all been a cruel joke if it weren’t for the newest gift sitting in front of him. The letters too, had a ring of truth to them that yes could have been faked, but it would’ve been difficult.

With all of these thoughts and more running through his mind Draco lifted the lid off the box in front of him. As he realized what this gift was all thoughts ceased inside his head. It was his wand. The wand that was taken from him by Potter that night so many months ago. Draco just stood there staring for several minutes before his mind began working again. If this was his wand (and of course it was he would know it anywhere) then that could only mean one thing…Potter had to be around here somewhere. But it _couldn’t_ be Potter. It just couldn’t be. Draco knew that Potter didn’t feel the same way he did…or at least before this he did. Draco had no idea what to think anymore.

A sound behind him had Draco whirling around with his wand drawn as he clutched the box to his chest. As he turned his jaw dropped and he was left staring in confusion as Potter stepped towards him with his hands raised. “It’s just me,” he said. Draco quickly tried to pull himself together and pull his masks back on to hide the hope and confusion he felt.

“Don’t you know better than to sneak up on people like that Potter? I could’ve hexed you into next week! What are you doing up here anyway?” Draco pasted on a poor attempt at a sneer as he glared at Potter and tried to find the easiest way to escape what was bound to be an awkward conversation. Besides, this had to be a mistake, a misunderstanding. There was no way at all Harry bloody Potter was harboring some secret desire for a former Death Eater. The friendship was hard enough to understand, let alone anything else.

Potter simply raised his eyebrows and gave a little smile before saying “I thought that would be rather obvious by now.” Draco couldn’t help but notice that he looked nervous, which made no sense at all. What on Earth could _he_ have to be nervous about? Unless he was afraid Draco was misreading the situation and was going to make a scene? That was the only thing Draco could think of.

“Obviously not, or I wouldn’t be asking you now would I? However, if you will excuse me I have some things I should be attending to. Have a good night Potter.” Draco tried to avoid looking in Potter’s direction as he walked past him to get back to the door. He hoped Potter couldn’t hear the shaking of his voice or see the tremble in his hands; that would be an embarrassment that Draco could never live down. Potter, however, reached out and grabbed him as he walked past; refusing to let Draco leave. “Please don’t go,” he whispered while moving to stand in front of Draco without ever releasing his hold. “Stay.” He tried to make eye contact but Draco wouldn’t allow it. He knew that if he did there would be no way to hide his feelings. Not now. Not tonight. Not after the emotional turmoil of the past week and with having him standing so close.

Draco wanted to say so many things. He wanted to hide behind the sass and snark that he was good at. He wanted to run away and pretend like this never happened. He wanted a way out of this that wouldn’t leave him devastated and embarrassed and the friendship ruined. But he didn’t know how; he wasn’t sure if he could even if he _did_ know how. Not with Potter looking at him like that. So he simply stood there, staring at his shoes and hoping it would all be over soon.

“Draco, please look at me. I’m sorry if I went too far with everything, but I didn’t know how else to do this.” The nerves and sadness in Potter’s voice were almost enough to break through Draco’s shock, but not quite. All he could do was stare at Potter with his jaw dropped and a dumbfounded expression on his face. When he did finally recover his voice, Draco was furious to realize he was stuttering. “Wait, what? Y-you mean? You? How?” Draco was annoyed at his inability to form actual sentences, so he stood up straighter and cleared his throat before speaking again. “That’s not funny Potter.”

“Come on Draco,” Potter said, still not letting go of Draco but gaining some strength to his voice now that Draco was actually speaking. “Why would I joke about this? I’m not. I like you. A lot. And I didn’t know how else to tell you. I was too afraid. So when Parkinson and Hermione came up with this idea I thought it could be the perfect chance.”

Draco tried to keep the hope and excitement buried inside, but the more Potter talked the harder it got. All he could focus on was the man in front of him saying all of the things Draco had wanted to hear but never thought he would. The doubts were still there, why on Earth would Potter want to be with _him_ of all people, but they were easy to ignore as he finally looked into Potter’s eyes and saw the truth shining there. He wasn’t sure what to say, and Potter didn’t seem to be stopping his nervous rambling anytime soon to let him get a word in anyway, so Draco did the next best thing. Or the first best thing. He kissed him.

And without any hesitation at all Potter responded.

Draco had a moment to think to himself that maybe he should call Potter ‘Harry’ now before he felt the tentative brush of Potter’s tongue on his lips asking for entry and all coherent thought left his head. Draco kissed Potter with everything he had; everything he wanted to say but couldn’t. He poured his heart into the kiss, and he was in awe of the realization that Harry was doing the same.

It could have been seconds, minutes, or hours that they kissed; Draco didn’t know. All he knew when he finally pulled back was the taste of Harry on his lips, the sound of Harry in his ears, and the feel of Harry on his hands. Breathless, Draco looked into Harry’s eyes almost fearfully. Even after all of that-the declarations, the kiss, the fact that Harry was here at all-he still wondered if this was just a dream or a cruel joke being played by the universe. He still feared that Harry would change his mind and walk away, leaving Draco broken and alone once again. But all he could see was Harry; just Harry smiling at him with a combination of relief, happiness, and lust in his eyes.

“So, am I to assume my gifts were satisfactory? Or do you kiss everyone like that before turning them down?” The laughter was easily heard in Harry’s voice as he smirked at Draco, reaching out to bring them closer together. Draco _wanted_ to say something sarcastic back but he was too full of joy and hope to do so (and the desire to kiss Harry again if he was being perfectly honest with himself). Instead, he simply rolled his eyes as he backed Harry into the wall. “Shut up and kiss me again you prat.”

As Harry grinned at him Draco took a moment to just stare at the man in front of him and let himself believe, truly believe, that this was real. That this was happening. And even though he did not understand why in the world Harry would want him out of anyone else, Draco promised himself that he would do whatever it took to make himself worthy of Harry. To make Harry always look at him like that. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, that the hard part was just starting, but he didn’t care. It was worth it. He knew it was.

When Harry kissed him this time only one thought went through his head: _Maybe this Secret Santa thing wasn’t as ridiculous as I thought…_


End file.
